Tennessee Alternative License and Alternative Route Programs

Candidates who have a Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited college/university are eligible to apply for an alternative license (i.e., Transitional License) if they have been offered employment by an approved Tennessee public or non-public school.

Eligibility is determined by a candidate having either a subject area major, 24 semester hours or a passing score on the Praxis II® content knowledge for the teaching subject area(s) and/or grade level.

In addition, candidates who are qualified for an alternative license may want to consider the following special alternative route programs by which they can complete licensing requirements:

• Candidates with degrees in mathematics, science, engineering, foreign language or nursing and five or more years of work experience in their field of study may be eligible for participation in the Teach Tennessee initiative.
• Candidates with degrees in mathematics, science or foreign language can learn about qualifications for the Transition to Teaching program. Applicants with a Bachelor's degree who are interested in English as a Second Language or Special Education may also be eligible.
• Candidates with a Bachelor's Degree who are interested in Special Education can visit Become a Special Educator in Tennessee (BASE-TN) to find out more about teaching opportunities in this field.
• For additional information on qualifications for the Transitional License or the special alternative route programs for educator licensing, visit the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Teacher Licensing web page.